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Lot Essay
This walnut settee is designed in the George II 'antique' manner with serpentined legs terminating in Jupiter's claw feet, while its vase shaped back is crowned by Venus's shell badge and framed by Jupiter's eagle's head arms. The settee almost certainly formed part of the furnishings assembled by the 16th Lord Hastings at Melton Constable Hall, Norfolk where it was recorded in a privately printed catalogue in 1901 as:
'SUITE; consisting of two double settees and six chairs; scroll backs, the upper part carved with a shell, the arm-rests terminating in eagles' heads, the feet formed as claws holding balls; the frames covered with a veneer of burr-walnut.
Length of settees, 60 inches.'
Melton Constable was sold by the Hastings family in 1948 and the present settee was bought from Phillips of Hitchin in 1959 with the provenance 'The Earl of Hastings', presumably a mistake as that title does not exist.
A pair of George II walnut open armchairs and nine Victorian side chairs en suite, also from Melton Constable Hall and mentioned in the same catalogue of the house, were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 23 April 1998, lots 30-31. Their cabriole legs were carved with the Astley family crest.
'SUITE; consisting of two double settees and six chairs; scroll backs, the upper part carved with a shell, the arm-rests terminating in eagles' heads, the feet formed as claws holding balls; the frames covered with a veneer of burr-walnut.
Length of settees, 60 inches.'
Melton Constable was sold by the Hastings family in 1948 and the present settee was bought from Phillips of Hitchin in 1959 with the provenance 'The Earl of Hastings', presumably a mistake as that title does not exist.
A pair of George II walnut open armchairs and nine Victorian side chairs en suite, also from Melton Constable Hall and mentioned in the same catalogue of the house, were sold anonymously, in these Rooms, 23 April 1998, lots 30-31. Their cabriole legs were carved with the Astley family crest.